MADRID: Spanish football is in mourning for Quini, one of the most profilic and popular centre-forwards of the 1970s who has died at 68 after a heart attack.

Enrique Castro Gonzalez was born in Oviedo on September 22, 1949, and made his name with Sporting Gijon – alongside his brother and goalkeeper Jesus Castro as well as other stars including defender Jose Uria, midfielder Joaquin and Argentinian forward Enzo Ferrero.

Seven times Quini was the Spanish league’s leading scorer.

Later he transferred to Barcelona and starred alongside Allan Simonsen, Bernd Schuster and Diego Maradona. The team appeared on course for league success until, on March 1, 1981, Quini was kidnapped at gunpoint by two men.

It was 25 days until he was released, the same day that Spain beat England 2-1 at Wembley. Barçelona, then coach by Helenio Herrera, lost their momentum and Real Sociedad overtook to win the league title.

Tragedy later overtook Quini with the death of his brother Castro when trying to save a swimmer in Pechón (Cantabria) in 1993.

His career with Barcelona brought two Spanish cup wins in 1981 and 1983 and the European Cup-winners Cup against Standard Liege in Nou Camp in 1982.

In the first Spanish cup win Barcelona beat Gijon in the final and Quini refused to celebrate his two match-winning goals.

In 1984 he returned to Gijon before retiring. His last game was on June 14, 1987, against Barcelona.

Quini scored 219 goals in 448 matches and played for Spain 35 times including at the 1978 and 1982 World Cups and the 1980 European Championship in Italy.

In Gijon, his son runs a restaurant which bears his name and also serves as a museum with walls decorated in pictures of one of the greatest marksmen in the history of Spanish football.

The Gijon city council is to rename the El Molinon stadium in Quini’s memory.

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